''There aren't any real tricks to the trade,'' said Rollings, 33, one of two mechanics traveling with Phinney and Team 7-Eleven on the Tour of the Americas cycling stage race, when it stopped in Orlando recently.

Just like the pit crews at the motor-sports tracks, the unsung heroes in the sport of cycling are the guys putting in the hours behind the scenes to keep the riders on the road.

At the end of each day of racing, the riders leave their bikes in the hands of these magicians. Hotel parking lots, sometimes even hallways or rooms, become work areas as the mechanics keep the equipment in tune for the next race.

Sometimes they work through the night, particularly if there has been a collision and a bike needs to be rebuilt. If they do get time to sleep, they're up at dawn to make sure the bike is rechecked.

A mistake can be costly, particularly on the professional levels, where the prizes may be in the thousands of dollars and where the price of a bike is close to $3,000.

''A lot of people seem to think this is a glamor job,'' said Rollings, a recreational rider from Milwaukee. Still he enjoys being a roadie for the racers.

''You can't beat the travel opportunity,'' Rollings said. ''It's also great working for a first-class organization. I hate the lack of sleep, but I've followed racing for years and this is one way to be close to it without competing.''

The bulk of the prize money goes to the riders, but the support team, which includes the mechanics, generally gets a share of the take.

''Most support-team members do a lot of things above and beyond the call of duty,'' said Michael Hanley, 37, who worked with Rollings on this tour.

Their normal duties give the mechanics plenty to do. During the race one usually rides in the chase car, which is equipped with a half-dozen tires and two frames for fast fixes. The other stays in the pit near the spare parts.

''On race day you can be running full blast 18 to 19 hours,'' said Hanley, of Chicago, who has been with the team since 1985. ''There's down time but it's a real adrenaline thing. It's almost like you're racing yourself.''

Team members recognize they couldn't be racing on the level they're on without the mechanics.

''You put your trust in their ability and they don't let you down,'' said Phinney, the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist who won the overall Tour of the Americas and led 7-Eleven to the team title. ''They're just as important to the team's success as we are. If the bikes don't run, we're going nowhere fast.''

''I like being as close to the action as we are,'' Hanley said. ''It has been a learning process and a vicarious thrill to be part of the team. I don't hate anything about my job. Only the travel can get somewhat tedious.

''I've never had a mechanical failure and that's something I can take a lot of pride in.''